Three die in oil plant explosion in Mexico
Explosion in oil facility in Veracruz state leaves three dead and 136 injured
An explosion at Pemex's oild facility in Veracruz, Mexico has left three people dead and 136 injured
An oil plant in the south-east Mexican state of Veracruz has been hit by an explosion that killed three people and left another 136 injured.
According to reports that hundreds have been evacuated and schools in the area have been closed, as a large fire engulfed the facility and caused thick smoke in the are.
The cause of the blast is still unclear, but reports claim that the facility, owned by Mexico’s state oil company Pemex, has experienced a number of explosions over the years.
Pemex issued a statement in the wake of the explosion, saying that the incident occurred at around 15:15 local time, and Veracruz state Governor Javier Duarte was reported telling a radio station that the blast was felt 10km away.
Pemex added that the fire was under control by early evening, but that residents were told to remain indoors because of the possible toxicity of the smoke.
The company also said that of the 136 people injured, 88 remain in hospital, including 13 in a serious condition
Associated Press reported that the plant produces vinyl chloride, a dangerous chemical used to make PVC pipes and packaging materials.
In February this year, a fire at the Veracruz plant left one worker dead, and in January 2013, Pemex’s headquarters in Mexico City was hit by a gas blast that left 37 victims, and a number of fires also struck the company's rigs in the Gulf of Mexico last year.
